Feasibility studies
Council responded to the community’s desire for safe walking and cycling opportunities with a key action of the 2017-2027 Council Plan to: “invest $1.1 million in planning, renewing and building new footpaths and cycling paths to improve access and community connections”.
The Macedon Ranges Shared Trails Feasibility Studies project formed part of this action, and considered a number of opportunities for shared trails throughout the Macedon Ranges and on to Daylesford (Council's border at Tylden). Download the trail map(PDF, 10MB)
The studies explored and made recommendations for the development of enjoyable and safe shared-use trail links between major towns in the region, designed to encourage cycling, walking and running for people across a range of abilities.
The studies presented estimates to deliver and maintain the trails, and outlined staged components that could be future ready for each of the following trails:
- Daylesford (from our border at Tylden) to Woodend, Kyneton and Hanging Rock
- Woodend to Macedon, New Gisborne and Riddells Creek
Public exhibition of the draft studies in 2019 provided overwhelming support for the development of shared trails in the Macedon Ranges, with all feedback received being assessed and used to guide the final studies.
Broad consultation with community group stakeholders, land owners and managers, authorities and the Macedon Ranges community was a key component in developing the studies and Council would like to thank all involved for their interest and input.
Council resolved, at its meeting on 28 August 2019, to endorse both studies and to commence advocacy and funding efforts for the staged implementation and development of the trails. You can view the feasibility studies here:
Trail funding
In April 2020 Council received requests from government agencies and members of parliament about local projects that could be ready to commence if funding were to become available. Council officers compiled a list of key priority projects considered to be shovel ready, and the Daylesford to Hanging Rock and Woodend to Riddells Creek shared trails were identified as two such projects.
In May 2020 the Victorian Government announced the $2.7 billion Building Works Package to build projects, create jobs and provide immediate benefit to communities across the state, many of which were also impacted by recent bushfires. Council was notified in late May 2020 that it will receive $8.75 million from this package. In July 2021, Council's original commitment of $1.1 million was increased by an additional $1.39 million to meet the total forecast cost of $11.24 million to develop the Woodend - Riddells Creek component of the shared trails.